數以萬計的英國兒童即將參加一個為期三年的研究活動，來看看手機和WIFI是否會損傷他們的大腦。

這項研究由英國衛生部發起，帝國理工大學和倫敦大學被委派執行。在研究中，它們將檢測這些技術產品是否會影響11-14歲兒童的認知發展狀況。

這些年輕人將被要求在手機中安裝一款可以監測通話時長以及短信和互聯網使用的應用。而他們的腦功能狀況則將會在初一和初三的時候被統一測量。

“我們需要進行這樣的調查，因為這是一些新技術，”帝國理工大學醫學研究委員會環境和健康中心的保羅·艾略特（Paul Elliot）教授表示。

“現有的科學證據可以證明，在短期內，來自手機的射頻波與罹患腦癌沒有聯系。”

“但是關于射頻波與健康在長期方面的相關性以及兒童使用狀況方面的研究則非常有限，具體情況也不甚明朗。”

這項名為“關于認知、青少年和手機的研究（SCAMP）”是世界上規模最大的致力于研究兒童腦損傷的研究。

研究的重點將放在認知功能上，如記憶力、集中力，這些都是在青少年時期逐漸發展的功能。

而認知力則與我們思考、做決定、處理和回顧信息有關。

它還與智商和教育相關，并且是發揮創新和創造潛能的基石，因此對于社會來說具有十分重要的意義。

在英國，70%的11-12歲青少年擁有手機，這一數字在14歲年齡層達到了90%。

目前絕大多數關于手機的研究都專注于成人和腦癌方面的研究。

現在還沒有確切證據可以證明來自手機的無線電波與健康是否有關，在這一問題上，兒童的大腦是否更容易受到影響也是科學家暫時所未知的。

外倫敦（Outer London）超過160家中學已經收到了參加這一研究的邀請函。

目前，在青少年手機使用方面，英國健康政策是這樣規定的：16歲以下的兒童應該盡量只在緊急情況下使用他們的手機，平時盡量使用免提設備或者短信，在必須通話的情況下，也需要盡可能地縮短通話時間。

英國電訊報原文參考：

Wifi fears: three-year study into health risks of mobiles to children's brains

Wifi and mobile phone use to be studied for potential health risks to thousands of youngsters to determine if they damage young brains

Thousands of schoolchildren are to be enrolled in a three-year study to find out if mobiles and wi-fi are damaging their brains.

The study, which has been commissioned by the Department of Health and is being carried out by Imperial College and the University of London, will monitor the cognitive development of 11 to 14-year-olds.

Youngsters will be asked to install an app on their phones which will capture the duration of calls, texts and internet use. Their brain function will be measured in Year 7 and again in Year 9.

"We need to investigate because it is a new technology," Professor Paul Elliot, director of Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial College.

"Scientific evidence available to date is reassuring and shows no association between exposure to radiofrequency waves from mobile phone use and brain cancer in adults in the short term."

"But the evidence available regarding long term heavy use and children's use is limited and less clear."

The Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) is the largest study in the world to look at potential damage to children’s brains.

It will focus on cognitive functions such as memory and attention, which continue to develop into adolescence.

Cognition is how we think; how we make decisions; and how we process and recall information.

It is linked to intelligence and educational achievement and forms the building blocks of the innovative and creative potential of every individual and therefore society as a whole.

Seventy percent of 11-12 year olds in the UK now own a mobile phone, rising to 90 per cent by age 14.

Most research to date on mobile phones has focused on adults and risk of brain cancers.

While there is no convincing evidence that radio wave exposures from mobile phones effect health, scientists remain uncertain as to whether children's developing brains are more vulnerable.

It is feared that their developing nervous system may make them at greater risk of damage from the absorption of energy.

More than 160 secondary schools in the outer London area will today (TUES) receive invitations to take part.

Current UK health policy guidelines advise that children under 16 should be encouraged to use mobile phones for essential purposes only, where possible use a hands-free kit or text and, if calls are really necessary, to keep them short.

"As mobile phones are a new and widespread technology central to our lives, carrying out the SCAMP study is important in order to provide the evidence base with which to inform policy and through which parents and their children can make informed life choices," said Dr Mireille Toledano of Imperial College, the Principal Investigator of the study.